Patricia Stapleton

Patricia A. Stapleton, PhD, is an assistant professor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts, where she also serves as the Director of the Society, Technology, and Policy Program. Her research focuses on the regulation of biotechnology in two domains: agriculture and assisted reproductive technology (ART). Her past work has examined agbiotech in the context of food safety and security - specifically the differences between the American and European approaches to risk assessment and management for genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Dr. Stapleton also studies how governments regulate biotechnologies used in ART. She is particularly interested in how the public responds to perceived risks associated with biotech developments, the role of experts in developing public policy, and how public opinion shapes risk regulation.